


Paradise Island

by desert_rose888



Category: The Plague Dogs - Richard Adams
Genre: Bittersweet Ending, Gen, Post-Canon, all animals go to heaven, or is it..., the animals deserved better, the island is real
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-01
Updated: 2020-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:07:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25658707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desert_rose888/pseuds/desert_rose888
Summary: My bittersweet take on the ambiguous ending of The Plague Dogs.
Relationships: Snitter & Rowf
Kudos: 5





	Paradise Island

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! This is my first time posting a fic on AO3. This piece is an assignment for class after watching the movie. It's short and bittersweet, and I hope you guys like it.

After swimming for what seemed to be forever, the two dogs passed through a thick fog and Rowf saw a black mass off to the distance. Snitter was running out of energy to swim and was not going to make it.

“Snitter, I think I see our island.”

“There is no island! It’s in my head, Rowf. I’ve doomed us,” Snitter cried, sinking a little as his kicks lost power.

“No. I can see it. If it’s in your head then I wouldn’t be able to see it. Let’s go! It’s only a few paddles away. We can make it.” Rowf encouraged his friend to preserve for the last stretch of water.

When they felt the sandy beach under their feet, they ran inland to a random spot on the beach to rest. The adrenaline in their bodies left them and they fell into a deep slumber.

After what seemed to be a few hours, Rowf woke up from his sleep. He looked around and decided to explore the island. He discovered that the black mass he saw in the distance that was the island was actually very beautiful. The island was filled with nature and the forestry created its natural beauty. The island was surrounded by a beach with sand so fine and white one could say it was actually fairy dust made for Titania, the fairy queen. The sand reflected the sun's light due to its fineness. During the sunset, the light rays hit the beach at an angle that allowed the grains of sand to reflect it, creating an iridescent shimmer that was breathtaking.

Further inland was the massive forest; it was filled with a variety of plants and animals. There are tall trees that made up the canopy. Under the canopy were the many shrubs, bushes, and flower patches that covered a majority of the forest floor. There were also two clearings, each with its own form of beauty. The one closest to the beach was simple and pure; it was a patch of grassland surrounded by the forest, and at the edge of the meadow was a ring of bushes. Rowf had dragged the unconscious Snitter to the meadow. It was nighttime now, and the fireflies that lived at the clearing came out to perform their mating dances. It almost seemed magical on a clear night – the moon and the twinkling stars came down to the clearing to dance with the earth.

Rowf was about to sleep again when he felt movement next to him. “Rowf? Where are we?” questioned a groggy voice. Snitter was awake.

“We’re on the island. I told you we’d make it, Snitter. I told you,” Rowf said happily.

“W-we made it? We made it?” Snitter exclaimed incredulously. He took a moment to look at their surroundings, and like magic, the tired look in his eyes disappeared. He jumped in joy as he chased the fireflies and ran through the grass like a pup on their first outing. “Oh, it’s beautiful here. Are there humans here? Please let there not be any humans, I don’t want to leave this place.”

Rowf answered, “I did some surveillance during late twilight while you were still asleep. There aren’t any humans here – not that I know of. The forest is big, but uninhabited, sans animals. There is a big mountain range at the edge of the forest, but there was no way for me to cross it without taking a few weeks’ time. I’m sure we’re safe here.”

“That’s perfect. It’s so peaceful here and so is my mind. Did you know I haven’t heard a single one of those damn flies in my head since I woke up? It is refreshing.”

“Then you’ll finally get a good night’s rest tonight. Sleep now, we’ll explore in the morning.”

“Okay.”

* * *

Unknown to Rowf and Snitter, they were being watched by another animal who was crouched down at the edge of the meadow. A beautiful white swan-like bird with long, iridescent tail feathers landed on a branch above the animal.

“Are you going to talk to them?” the bird’s melodious voice asked.

“In a day or two.”

The bird hummed. “That is probably for the best. They had too much excitement these past few weeks. Letting them settle in first, then meet up with them.” The two watched the smaller dog jump and run around the field. After a few minutes, the dogs went to sleep. “Come, little Mary is willing to meet you now. I hope that you have come up with an apology for her.”

“Aye. Lead the way, lassy.”

The celestial guardian and the fox leave the edge of the meadow and go into the vast forest.

* * *

“Everyone can be at ease now. The plague dogs have been found and it seemed they had drowned after being lost at sea.”

**Author's Note:**

> The bird looks like this: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/547257792203537081/  
> Thanks for reading to the end! Feel free to give this fic a kudos, and I'd love it if you'd write a review.


End file.
